YouBike (微笑單車) is the public bike share you will see at docks across Taichung. It is handy for the short hops that a bus or the MRT does awkwardly, and for the last stretch to where you are going. There are two bikes: the standard 2.0 YouBike 2.0 and the electric-assist 2.0E YouBike 2.0E, which costs more.
- YouBike 2.0 NT$10 per 30 minutes for the first 4 hours
- YouBike 2.0E NT$20 per 30 minutes for the first 2 hours
- Members in Taichung first 30 minutes free on a 2.0, NT$10 off the first 30 minutes on a 2.0E
- Visitors single rental with a credit card, NT$3,000 held on the card while you ride
Fares
| Bike | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| YouBike 2.0 | First 4 hours | NT$10 per 30 minutes |
| YouBike 2.0 | 4 to 8 hours | NT$20 per 30 minutes |
| YouBike 2.0 | Over 8 hours | NT$40 per 30 minutes |
| YouBike 2.0E | First 2 hours | NT$20 per 30 minutes |
| YouBike 2.0E | Over 2 hours | NT$40 per 30 minutes |
Part of a 30-minute block counts as a whole one. Taichung City Government pays for the first 30 minutes of a registered member's ride on a YouBike 2.0, and NT$10 of the first 30 minutes on a 2.0E, until the city announces an end date. If you return a bike and want another at the same dock, you have to wait 15 minutes.
How visitors rent
There are two ways to ride, and for most visitors the choice is made for you:
- Single rental (臨時會員). YouBike's option for foreign visitors: pay by credit card. Each rental puts a NT$3,000 hold on your card, released after you return the bike (how long that takes depends on your bank). An authorization lasts 120 hours. Single rentals pay the full fare above, with no free 30 minutes.
- Membership. Registering needs a Taiwan mobile number for a text message code, plus an ID card, residence permit or passport number for the cycling insurance. Members link an EasyCard, iPASS or icash, or pay through the YouBike app, and get the city's free first 30 minutes.
If you have a Taichung monthly pass (TPASS) on your card, the first 30 minutes of every YouBike ride in Taichung are free, with no limit on rides. → Cards and passes
Good to know: with the free half hour only for members, a visitor's single rental of a YouBike 2.0 costs NT$10 for each 30 minutes from the start. For a quick hop that is still less than a bus fare.
Finding a bike
The YouBike app and the station map on the YouBike website show docks and how many bikes and empty spaces each one has. Check for space before you ride to a dock, so you are not left circling to return the bike.
Bikes and the MRT
A YouBike stays on the street. Your own folding bike can go on the MRT if it is folded and bagged; a full-size bike needs a NT$70 bicycle ticket and cannot use HSR Taichung Station. → The MRT Green Line
→ City buses · → Getting around Taichung
Sources
YouBike Taichung fares, how to rent and how to register; Taichung Go monthly pass (TPASS) rules; Taichung MRT ticket types and passenger regulations. Checked October 2026.